A recent e-mail from Strang Publications - the publisher of a host of conservative evangelical publications including Charisma News Online, Strang Report, Power Up, NewManeMagazine, TheMinistryTodayReport -- urged its readers to support Hagee by signing on to something being called "The Israel Pledge." The "Pledge," according to Hagee "provides you with the opportunity to express your support for Israel's right to exist and to defend itself from terrorism. Your signature will help send a strong message that American Christians are standing with Israel at this critical juncture":    

The Israel Pledge (http://www.injesus.com/index.php?module=message&task=view& ;MID=LB007G1F&GroupID=CB006GHK)

We believe that the Jewish people have a right to live in their ancient land of Israel, and that the modern State of Israel is the fulfillment of this historic right.

We maintain that there is no excuse for acts of terrorism against Israel and that Israel has the same right as every other nation to defend her citizens from such violent attacks.

We pledge to stand with our brothers and sisters in Israel and to speak out on their behalf whenever and wherever necessary until the attacks stop and they are finally living in peace and security with their neighbors.  

As I recently wrote in a Religion Dispatches piece titled "Jerusalem Countdown: Christian Zionists and the New Israeli Government" (http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/religiousright/1204/jer usalem_countdown%3A_christian_zionists_and_the_new_israeli_govern ment/), Hagee, who had hoped to be a major player in the 2008 presidential election, "has been cooling his heels since taking a drubbing from the mainstream press last year after saying Jews had caused the Holocaust."

After being courted for some time by Senator John McCain's political team, Hagee decided to endorse McCain's run for the presidency. In fairly short order after Talk2Action's Bruce Wilson discovered several audio tapes and videos of Hagee sermons that contained anti-Catholic and anti-Semitics commentaries, the proverbial roof caved in. The videos were picked up by a number of mainstream media outlets, and instead of becoming a power-player, Hagee was sidelined, as Team McCain asked him to withdraw his endorsement of McCain, and McCain withdrew his endorsement of Hagee.

Netanyahu booster

From Religion Dispatches:

"The end of the world as we know it is rapidly approaching," Hagee wrote in his 2006 book, Jerusalem Countdown: A Warning to the World. "Just before us is a nuclear countdown with Iran," he wrote, "followed by Ezekiel's war [as described in Ezekiel, chapters 38 and 39], and then the final battle--the battle of Armageddon."

The same year, Hagee founded Christians United for Israel, one of the largest Christian grassroots movements in America. It hosts a yearly July Washington-Israel Summit in Washington DC, and a biannual solidarity summit in Israel.

During an interview last year, Glenn Beck asked Hagee: "You had several meetings with fairly prominent individuals. You've met with Benjamin Netanyahu. Have you had enough conversations with these people to tell them that you believe that we're living in the end times, and what is their reaction?"

Hagee replied that Netanyahu had come to visit him in his "office" and that they "have talked about the geopolitical circumstances of the Middle East." Hagee went on:

Benjamin Netanyahu sat just across my desk and told me that when he was prime minister, he had to give photographic proof to the United States intelligence agencies to convince them that Russia was in Iran helping them produce long-range missiles. Now, those long-range missiles would have the ability to hit London, New York, and Jerusalem, and right now Israel. Iran is trying to get their hands on nuclear weapons and if they can put nuclear warheads on these missiles, can you imagine, Glenn, a world where London, New York, and Jerusalem have been hit by a nuclear missile on the same day. That's the nightmare scenario that Ahmadinejad is trying to put together and he's dangerously close to doing it.

These days, in addition to figuring out how to cash in on his relationship with Netanyahu, continuing to advocate for a muscular approach to dealing with Iran, and soliciting signatures for "The Israel Pledge,", Hagee's Christians United for Israel has announced it will be holding first annual Christians United for Israel Sunday, which is set for May 17, 2009.  "The goal ... is for churches across the country to unite in prayer and action for Israel on the same day. May 15, 2009 marks the 61st birthday of the State of Israel.  A national display of Christian unity with Israel is the best birthday present we can give to the Jewish State."

And, save the date: Christians United for Israel will be holding its Fourth Annual Washington Summit on July 20 to July 22, 2009 (http://www.cufi.org/site/PageServer?pagename=events_washington_su mmit).

--30--